


Once Upon A Time

by EmeryldLuk



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Dragon stealing a princess, FTM Peter Parker, Flufftober, Gen, IronDad family, Kings & Queens, Loki as a dragon, Trans Male Character, bored
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26999113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeryldLuk/pseuds/EmeryldLuk
Summary: King Stark rules with his Queen, Pepper, and his two children, Peter and Morgan. Peter is kidnapped by the local dragon and Morgan tries to rescue him.
Relationships: Loki & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 58





	Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there ruled a king by the name of Antony Stark. He was not a gentle king, but he was just and strong and his kingdom fruitful. Despite urging from his council, he chose to forego the ancient traditions of political marriage, instead putting his focus into improving the land and the lives of his subjects.

Even so, he too felt a longing eventually. A longing that was satisfied by the presence of an ordinary woman named Pepper Pots. Pepper made exquisite ceramics, and by chance her work caught the eye of King Stark. A business relationship grew and expanded as he made up with excuse after excuse for her to visit his castle. Unwilling to completely give up his single life, Antony could not help but feel the way he did about her and proposed.

Together they had two children, both girls, five years apart. The children were given everything. They wanted for nothing. Except, as the eldest grew, she felt increasingly wrong in her own body. She refused to wear the frilly, pleated dresses they offered, finding comfort in breeches, shirts and vests. She cut her hair and became Peter.

Peter was no different, in truth, he still loved to dance, and sing, but was happier to do so from a man’s perspective. He still joined his younger sister, Morgan, in learning complicated embroidery stitches, and in picking out flowers from the garden. He snuck into the kitchen at night for pastries and split them with Morgan.

Now, this kingdom had a problem with a dragon named Loki. Loki was small for a dragon, with black and green scales, but plenty troublesome. One never truly knew when or how Loki would act, for he was capable of roasting entire hillsides in the same breath as harmlessly reorganizing the fences to spell rude words.

King Stark’s council pestered him every year to do something about the dragon and finally he gave in and organized his best knights into a dragon hunting squad led by Sir Happy.

To the excitable, sixteen year old Prince Peter, a dragon hunting quest was too good to pass up. But his father would never agree to let him go with. So, he hatched a plan to follow the knights at a reasonable distance with his childhood steed.

Only things did not go as well as the prince planned. He got out of the castle unnoticed, but after a day on the road, he misjudged things and was found by the knights. Sir Happy was not very happy to find the prince there in the brush, but could hardly leave his men to return the boy home. Sir Happy ordered Peter to stay in the middle of the group at all times and never wander off. Peter quickly agreed, secretly glad to tag along.

They reached the lands where Loki was known to rampage. Peter grew bored. He’d expected to have seen a dragon by now. He let down his guard and accidentally became separated from the knights while investigating some new plants.

“Dragon,” He heard someone yell as he crouched by the bright purple flowers. They didn’t have these in the castle. Holding a few in his hand, planning to press them into his journal for Morgan, he ran across the field towards the knights’ camp. A shadow fell over him, growing in size and shade. The knights yelled, rushing to grab their lances and rush to his aid. Peter looked over his shoulder and a flash of light reflecting off of scales blinded him for a moment.

Sir Happy returned to the castle in disgrace. There was no way to be gentle in telling his king his son had been stolen. King Stark raged, ordering the man to pack up and get back out in the field. Sir Happy would not be welcomed back without Prince Peter in tow.

Unknown to the adults, eleven year old Morgan heard the whole exchange. Shocked at the reason for her brother’s disappearance, Morgan packed and left in a hurry, unwilling to leave things to adults.

While all of this went on, Peter had his own sort of experience back at Loki’s cave. Loki dropped Peter unceremoniously on their hoard of gold and rolled a stone across the cave entrance. Peter stared, still trying to process what had happened.

“Did you kidnap me?” Peter’s voice cracked. He stood and immediately slipped on the hill of coins.

Loki looked ecstatic somehow, though Peter could hardly tell how he knew that. Perhaps it was the way Loki’s eyes mimicked the castle cats when they were given treats by the princelings.

“I finally did it!” Loki exclaimed. “Everyone kept telling me I wasn’t a TRUE dragon unless I kidnapped a princess, but I did it. That’ll teach them. Wait till father sees. Then he’ll have to acknowledge me.”

“What?” Peter decided to just sit in the coins rather than continue to slide around like jelly on the tiles.

“Oh, I know, roasting a village is important too, for status, and eating the sheep is just tradition for Christmas, but I hadn’t kidnapped a princess yet, so Brother kept bringing by his latest catch, every- stupid- month,” Loki proceeded to complain.

“But now I caught one of my own!”

Peter swallowed, wondering if it would be safe to tell the poor dragon the truth.

“I’m not a princess,” Peter risked.

Loki’s ears twitched, concern replacing happiness in their eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m a boy.”

“Boy? What’s the difference?”

Peter faltered. “Well, you know, boys and girls. The two genders. And Princesses are girls.”

“I do not understand. Are you not a child of the King?” Loki sat at the base of their treasure mound and frowned down at Peter. 

“No, no, I am, but I’m called a Prince, because I’m a boy.” Peter could not tell if this was going well and desperately hoped Loki did not have a change of heart mid-conversation.

“Well, that’s just great. I was so happy to have finally gotten a princess. Do you have a sibling?”

“Yes,” Peter answered slowly, “but she’s in the castle.”

“Shoot.” Loki pouted. “I guess I gotta let you go then.”

Peter felt a hint of pity for the dragon. “Why does it matter, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Loki sighed, breathing a small puff of flame. “It’s a tradition thing. Used to be you could just yank any old girl off a hill, but now, it’s gotta be a royal princess to count. See, all my Aunts and Uncles are constantly boasting about the number of knights they’ve fought off. And all I have to show for my time here is a few burnt houses and pranks. Father has been threatening to disown me if I don’t prove myself.”

“I’m sorry. That must be hard.”

“Honestly, I just want to have fun. Have you ever played chess?”

Peter shook his head.

“Would you like to learn?”

Peter liked learning new things, and now that the threat of impending doom had lifted, he felt better about his situation. “Sure. How do you play?”

Loki’s spirits lifted as he began rambling about rules and pieces, searching his lair for a chess board. Peter made his way off the treasure pile and sat down on the cold stone floor.

As it turned out Loki wasn’t very old in Dragon standards and didn’t really agree with Dragon traditions. Loki mostly caused trouble out of boredom or threats from their family, so Peter decided to stay for a few days and keep them company. Loki was surprisingly fun, though moody. They loved a good story and had a very expressive face. Peter and Loki played several games together, including one round of hide and seek, though it was clearly unfair due to Loki’s heightened sense of smell.

They were very surprised after a couple of days to hear a small knock at the stone door. Loki expressed that they did not get very many nice visitors and warned Peter to stay back. However, the figure they saw upon rolling back the stone was but a four foot tall girl in a riding dress holding a wooden sword painted bright pink with glitter.

“Back, Dragon,” Morgan proclaimed with the intimidation factor of a kitten. “You have threatened my father’s lands for the last time.”

Peter gasped and ran out of his hiding spot. “Morgan, what are you doing here?”

“Saving you, big brother. I said back, Dragon, or else!”

Loki blinked very slowly and then turned to face Peter. “The sibling you spoke of?”

Peter nodded, feeling as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest. “Morgan, did you run away from home?”

“You ran away first,” she defended.

“That doesn’t mean it was okay.” Peter sighed. “You know Mother will be worried.”

“But you were in danger and Dad was yelling at Happy.”

Peter pushed her wooden sword down. “I’m not in danger. Loki was just pressured into kidnapping me. They were going to let me go after showing me to their family.”

“Oh.” Morgan deflated like a balloon. “So he’s a good dragon.”

“They’re a good dragon- mostly. Loki prefers to be called They.”

“Okay. I like them. They’re pretty.”

Loki grinned. “I like your sibling.”

“She’s a princess.”

Loki’s eyes widened with the inkling of an idea. “Would the two of you be willing to join me for a short flight?”

And that was how Peter and Morgan got to meet several very shocked and speechless dragons shortly before being gently returned home. A short argument ensued and King Stark agreed not to attempt to kill Loki on a few conditions. Loki would no longer damage human settlements and would pay for any livestock they chose to partake in. Loki would be allowed to spend time with the prince and princess so long as they stayed within sight of the castle.

Loki was not completely happy with the terms, but it meant they could have friends and that would do, for now.


End file.
